THIS IS HOW IT WORKS!

IF THERE WAS EVER ANY DOUBT THAT THIS MATTER SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN EDINBURGH, THERE ISN'T NOW

Craig Oliver, Cameron's director of communications, has been directing his communications towards the Daily Telegraph since they reported the fact that the English Secretary of State for Culture, had claimed £90,000 in expenses for a house inhabited by her parents.

He has reminded the editor of the Telegraph that the minister was at present considering Brain Leveson's Report into the press and has pointed out the poor timing of their revelations. Ewww Er!

Whatever could he mean by that?

Surely not that the minister (one Maria Miller) would be influenced in her decision about press regulation because the Daily Telegraph has released potentially horribly embarrassing information about her?

Nor is this the only contact between the government and the Telegraph on this matter. Fewer than 24 hours before Oliver's intervention, an adviser to the Culture Secretary contacted the reporter working on the story, to remind him of Maria Miller's role in taking the Leveson Report forward, and also phoned the Telegraph's Head of Public Affairs on the same subject.

Mrs Miller has been claiming under the second home allowance for a home in which her parents live, something which is banned under the parliamentary rules. Miller says that her parents are elderly and dependent upon her. On the other hand they say that they are there to look after the children.

The sleaze watchdogs say that if the parents are dependants then they should live in the house funded by the MP, not the one subsidised by the taxpayer. If this is not possible the taxpayer must be financially compensated for the cost involved in their accommodation.

Miller's own home is a modest rented house in her constituency. Her second home, the one paid for by us, is a far grander affair, which the Millers own.

There have been, obviously, calls for Miller to step aside from any involvement in the decision making process related to Leveson, but of course, Cameron, with his  innate understanding of the potential for trouble and ridicule, is standing by her and reportedly has full confidence in her ability to make the correct decision.

Unfortunately, Cameron's confidence may keep her in her job for the moment, but it will not mean that, in this most difficult of situations, the rest of us have any confidence at all in any decision she makes. Particularly not when veiled threats are being made by her, and Cameron's, minions.

It seems to me that Oliver and the advisor at the Culture Ministry (a Miss Hindley by name) may have shown why it is absolutely essential that no matter what comes out of these deliberations, no government minister must ever have any power over the press.

The words "own", "hoist" and "petard" come to mind.

I trust that Scotland will make its own decision on these matters, and not leave them to this bunch of amateur chancers, as has been demanded by all the unionist parties. 

Despite what they all said last week in parliament, it is nothing to do with wanting to be different for the sake of it. Clearly, when something is the responsibility of your government you don't expect another government to do it for you... and secondly, we'd like it done right.